InspirEd by Kubrio

There is a lot of pressure on today's teens. The changes over the last 2 years alone have drastically increased the number of teens that are experiencing anxiety globally.   Now more than ever, teens need to be equipped with the necessary skills and support to manage these changes.  At this event, Heidi Conway (founder of Changemaker Teens Global) will be chatting to 15 year old Arianna Fox about her experiences as a changemaker teen. At only 15 years old, Arianna is an Amazon Best-selling Triple Author, Keynote Speaker,  Entrepreneur, Actress, and Voice Over Professional. Changemaker Teens Global invites parents and alternative learning educators to be the catalyst for positive change by holding the space for young people on their learning journey.  Heidi and Arianna will be discussing the following:  What does a Changemaker on the Rise mean to you?  Do you think all teens can be a changemaker to make the future better for everyone?  What evidence do you have to support this?  If you had all the resources in the world, what would you specifically do to change what you see as the biggest ‘pain' in the world?  What is the outcome you would expect when you did that? What do you need from your parents' generation and even older to support you and your generation to do that?  Let's keep the inspiring discussion going! Discover our events, articles, and more with these links:InspirEd MagazineInspirEd EventsJoin our mailing listYou Tube

Poetry begs its audience to lean in closer to language, sound, and emotion. It provides children the freedom to positively explore and express feelings and it teaches practice and patience in a playful yet poignant way. A career in writing is one that is inspired and impactful.Tasmin Hansmann is a published author who is passionate about encouraging the pursuit of a career in the arts. She believes poetry is a powerful tool that allows students to develop their voice which can be a catalyst for social change. Her poetry collection “The Anatomy of Waves” and her novella “Welcome Home Dear Soul” came out last year and she is the founder of Azorean Stories.Tasmin is a Galileo collaborator and host of the “Poetry for Beginners” nano where she covers poetic invention, form, flow, dealing with failure, and publication. She stimulates learners to embrace the happiness and influence of being an entrepreneurial writer.Join us for this event where Tasmin shares her inspirational and motivational journey of raising awareness and finding success through professional writing.Let's keep the inspiring discussion going! Discover our events, articles, and more with these links:InspirEd MagazineInspirEd EventsJoin our mailing listYou Tube

What does the future of education look like? While we don't know for sure, there are some trends and insights from experts that can help us to paint a picture of what it may look like. In this event, Higher Ground Education Founder Ray Grin will be sharing his insights on the following:  The current dominant trends in the private education market. Companies and programs doing innovative work in this field. Fundamental ideas about how children learn and how this is shaping the future of education. In March 2016, Ray Girn founded Higher Ground Education with the vision of greatly accelerating the growth of Montessori education globally. Higher Ground aims to create a comprehensive international platform to deliver high-quality, high-fidelity Montessori programming everywhere, as well as to conduct the research and development necessary to extend Montessori principles to new, innovative models of secondary education.Prior to founding Higher Ground, Ray had a 13-year career with LePort Schools. Working at LePort's K-8 lab school, he helped lead a team of educators in architecting LePort's upper school curriculum and program. In 2010, he took over as CEO, expanded the team, and implemented an ambitious growth strategy. In five years, Ray and his team took the company from a small, local family business of three schools to the largest Montessori operator in the United States.Let's keep the inspiring discussion going! Discover our events, articles, and more with these links:InspirEd MagazineInspirEd EventsJoin our mailing listYou Tube

The Galileo moms are back!At this event, the Galileo moms will be talking about the importance of recognizing mental health in the education space. More specifically, they will be discussing how self-directed learning environments can often better meet the needs of neurodiverse children. However, this can be extremely taxing for parents - so how can you deal with it all?Join the Galileo moms to hear their stories, ask questions, and share your own experiences.  Let's keep the inspiring discussion going! Discover our events, articles, and more with these links:InspirEd MagazineInspirEd EventsJoin our mailing listYou Tube

Getting investment as an early-stage startup is a tricky game.  It can be especially challenging when you're not connected to some kind of network or institution.  Michael Gibson and Danielle Strachman wanted to change that. So, they founded 1517 Fund.  1517 Fund is a venture capital fund that supports early-stage startups, specifically those outside of formal institutions. They believe that you don't need any kind of fancy degree or qualification to launch a great idea, and often these people without such credentials get overlooked.   Michael was vice president for grants at the Thiel Foundation and a principal at Thiel Capital. For nearly five years working for Peter Thiel, he has contributed research to Peter's global macro hedge fund, assisted in teaching a course at Stanford Law School on sovereignty and technological change, and helped run the Thiel Fellowship. He serves on the board of the Seasteading Institute. Before his academic apostasy, he was working towards a doctorate in philosophy at the University of Oxford. He has written on innovation and technology for MIT's Technology Review, the Atlantic, and Forbes.Danielle has worked with young entrepreneurs for about a decade. In 2010, during the founding of the Thiel Fellowship, Danielle joined to lead the design and operations. She's worked with some of the most prestigious founders like Vitalik Buterin and Ritesh Agarwal. Prior to her work with Peter Thiel, Danielle founded and directed Innovations Academy in San Diego, a K-8 charter school serving 400 students, with a focus on student-led project-based learning and other alternative programs.Alongside colleagues Nick Arnett and Zak Slayback, Danielle and Michael will be discussing the work that 1517 Fund does as well as the opportunities and challenges that young entrepreneurs are facing. Let's keep the inspiring discussion going! Discover our events, articles, and more with these links:InspirEd MagazineInspirEd EventsJoin our mailing listYou Tube

Healthy habits and positive attitudes around financial well-being are important money milestones for teens. Financial education can guide our children toward developing the decision-making skills needed to balance a budget and save for the future.   In this event, the Galileo moms gather to go over how to lead our independent kids down the path of responsible spending. Join the conversation to pick up tips and share resources for helping teens learn to earn, invest, borrow and protect their funds. Let's keep the inspiring discussion going! Discover our events, articles, and more with these links:InspirEd MagazineInspirEd EventsJoin our mailing listYou Tube 

In early 2022, Mary-Ellen Fimbel launched the Galileo Edupreneur Academy. The Galileo Edupreneur Academy offers parents, educators, and edupreneurs the knowledge they need to support their learners in Self-Directed and learner-centered education.   In this upcoming event, Mary-Ellen and Fabienne Vailes will be discussing:  How parents and educators play a role in meeting the basic needs of a learner's wellness and motivation.  An introduction to the Flourishing Learner Wellness Profile and how does it assist parents and educators.   How parents and educators can identify and address areas of concern when it comes to a learner's wellness.   Fabienne Vailes is an expert on emotional and mental well-being within the education sector. She is on a mission to change the face of education - embedding well-being into the curriculum to create an environment where both students and staff flourish and become empowered lifelong learners to succeed both academically, socially, and in the workplace.Let's keep the inspiring discussion going! Discover our events, articles, and more with these links:InspirEd MagazineInspirEd EventsJoin our mailing listYou Tube

The newly re-launched Galileo Edupreneurs Academy is back in full swing! In this episode, Galileo's Kelly Davis chatted to Academy leader, Mary-Ellen Fimbel, about what's going on in the Academy as well as her advice for those embarking on a self-directed education journey. The Edupreneur Academy is a space for parents, educators, and anyone interested in learning experiences to understand how to support learners in discovering and following their interests and passions.  The Edupreneur Academy offers a number of different programs that are all related to upskilling in the field of education and self-directed learning. Mary-Ellen has been involved in the self-directed learning and unschooling space for several years, as both a student and a teacher. She noticed that the most common hurdles experienced by families starting on this journey is that they don't have a realistic idea of what to expect from the self-directed learning experience.Mary-Ellen says: “Many parents who are new to self-directed learning think that they can work on deschooling or unschooling for a little bit after leaving school and then all of a sudden their kid will be interested in science and everything takes off and is perfect.” However, this couldn't be further from the truth. Mary-Ellen wanted to design an applied self-directed learning course that helped parents and educators to understand what it takes to go through a self-directed learning process so that they can better support their children. “For kids who've been in school for a long time, there's a lot of anxiety that comes with being able to choose whatever you want to learn about. One thing that we talk a lot about in the course is how we can support kids  in this, but also how we can be empathetic to the fact that when you can choose literally anything, sometimes you do need a little bit of direction to help spark ideas and interests.”This episode unpacks why it's important for parents and educators to have this perspective for transitioning into self-directed learning environments, as well as some of Mary-Ellen's top tips.  Happy listening and learning!Let's keep the inspiring discussion going! Discover our events, articles, and more with these links:InspirEd MagazineInspirEd EventsJoin our mailing listYou Tube

Parents are motivated to understand and support their children's needs in a non-traditional school setting.  1:1 mentoring provides parents a pathway to foster skill development and creative thinking in their home-based students.Len Loving is a Learning Experience Designer who has all the answers to your burning 1:1 teaching questions. He is passionate about the “freedom to learn” and self-directed education that affirms a child's imagination and inspires a lifelong thirst for knowledge. He focuses on encouraging the hard questions, not arriving at common answers.Len has been teaching for 30 years in subjects like music, languages, anthropology, and debate. He currently instructs in a hybrid format and is based in Japan. Len strives to improve education globally by leveraging technology to stimulate learning.Tutoring allows independent students to apply their innate abilities with confidence and creativity through individualized teaching support. Len will talk about how 1:1 mentoring looks different from group instruction, what it could mean for your child, and how to implement the practice in your home. Let's keep the inspiring discussion going! Discover our events, articles, and more with these links:InspirEd MagazineInspirEd EventsJoin our mailing listYou Tube

Within all of us is a unique confluence of what we love, what we're good at, and what we can contribute to our community. We carry around unconscious ideas about the limits of our abilities, but no one's success is predetermined.  Prolific author and Stanford graduate Dr. Gay Hendricks brings us a profound understanding of why people set upper limits for themselves. He will tell us how to test those limits through exploring inborn power and how to commit to embracing a version of ourselves that moves beyond these imaginary boundaries. Gay believes that by removing these self-imposed ideas, we can expand our potential and ultimately find greater achievement and joy.  Gay is a leader in the field of relationship transformation. He has been practising psychology since 1974 and has written more than 40 highly-rated books on subjects like wish fulfilment, overcoming internal obstacles, and clearing away unconscious patterns that hinder prosperity. He believes in the power of intention and aims to nudge us into our particular zones of genius.  Transcending the invisible ceiling will take you to a place where your practised strengths and intrinsic gifts shine a bright light on what is wholly you. Join us to learn how to expand your enjoyment by existing to your full potential every day. Let's keep the inspiring discussion going! Discover our events, articles, and more with these links:InspirEd MagazineInspirEd EventsJoin our mailing listYou Tube

When Iris Chen saw her own childhood experiences with Tiger parenting repeating with her own children, she knew she needed a complete mental and emotional shift.  Tiger parenting refers to an approach to parenting that is common in immigrant Asian families, specifically Chinese families. It involves very strict and controlled parenting, with high academic expectations. The term was originally started by Yale Law School professor Amy Chua in her 2011 memoir ‘Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother'.   Iris experienced tiger-parenting in her own childhood and realized that she was still dealing with the trauma from it, and inevitably projecting that onto her own children. Iris shares: “I learned how to respect my children, how to share power with them, and treat them with dignity. All of that spilled over into how I saw myself in empowering them in their education, which follows all these peaceful parenting principles of autonomy, consent, and respect. So I felt like unschooling was definitely just a natural result of practicing peaceful parenting with my children.”  This episode explores more of Iris's thoughts on the Un-tigering movement, education, parenting, and unschooling. Happy listening and happy learning! Let's keep the inspiring discussion going! Discover our events, articles, and more with these links:InspirEd MagazineInspirEd EventsJoin our mailing listYou Tube

Imagine you could spend 14 years travelling the world and seeing 48 different countries. Now imagine doing that with 3 kids and worldschooling them in the process.  Well, this was the life of Behan and Jamie Gifford! We spoke to Jamie about her experience with worldschooling and any advice that she had to share with others who were curious or considering worldschooling for their own families.  One of the main pieces of advice that Behan had to share was that the experience is always going to feel intimidating, but you just need to push through the fear. She shares:“I'm 14 years in, and I still experience fear. But I think it's a healthy fear now. We know it works out. But it is also a constant evolution. You just have to be aware and involved in it and work on it. You don't just suddenly work. There's not a magic moment where everything is easy and good.”In this conversation, Behan shares how her children have integrated back into the education system for college.Happy listening and learning! Let's keep the inspiring discussion going! Discover our events, articles, and more with these links:InspirEd MagazineInspirEd EventsJoin our mailing listYou Tube

Have you ever heard the phrase you can't teach an old dog new tricks? Well, it's time to put that old adage to rest and embrace the idea of lifelong learning, no matter your age or stage of life.  Within the education space specifically, it's important for teachers to continue learning alongside their students in order to stay up to date with education best practices.  To learn more about this, we chatted to learning and education expert Sean Dagony-Clark to hear his thoughts.  Sean shared some of the key reasons continuous learning is important in the education space: Education research has developed so much over the last few years, but classrooms don't always reflect this.  New fields of research outside of education (like psychology and neuroscience) can teach us a lot about how to improve educational practices. Without continuous learning and development, it's common for unfounded learning myths to creep into the field of education.   Sean shares: “There's been a lot of research in the field of education in the last maybe 50 or more years. I think a lot of us have experienced teachers who teach the way that they were taught. That's something that I definitely had in school, and I actually see it in my children's schools. It bothers me because there are new theories and new best practices that have developed through research, experimentation, and observation of teaching best practice.” In this episode, you'll hear Sean chat to host Joe Burgess as they unpack the topic further. Happy listening! Let's keep the inspiring discussion going! Discover our events, articles, and more with these links:InspirEd MagazineInspirEd EventsJoin our mailing listYou Tube

Imagine if you could get the inside scoop around the challenges and developments that are being experienced in all corners of the education world.  Well, look no further! We recently chatted to EdTech entrepreneur Andreas Marinpoiulos who has spent over 7 years working in the EdTech space. During this time, he worked with hundreds of schools (district schools, micro-schools, private schools, start-ups, and more).  In the conversation, he shared the incredible insights that he's gained regarding:  How schools should be framing their value proposition.  How schools should approach marketing and student acquisition.  How schools should be rethinking their operating models.  How schools should consider their scaling processes.  The importance of family-teacher fits.  In this episode, you can hear the full conversation between Andreas and Galileo's Vlad Stan. Happy learning! Let's keep the inspiring discussion going! Discover our events, articles, and more with these links:InspirEd MagazineInspirEd EventsJoin our mailing listYou Tube

Have you ever wondered how young is too young to start encouraging entrepreneurial skills development with your kids? Well, we've got the answer.  According to entrepreneurial education expert and author Dr. Birgitte Wraae, kids are never too young to start learning these skills. This isn't necessarily because all kids should be starting a business (although that's not a bad idea either!), but because entrepreneurial skills teach important life skills.  So why are these skills so important?  Dr. Wraae shares:  “I started out thinking that entrepreneurship was focused only around the business plan, learning how to do a business plan, and winning competitions. Then gradually, I realized that this is not why I'm teaching. What I was actually doing was developing people. I wanted to have students leave my classroom thinking that they have gained some skills, some self-confidence, and more knowledge about themselves. Most of all, I wanted to teach them that they could work as change agents, no matter the choice of career.” In this episode, we dive deeper into why these skills are crucial and how you can start developing them with your kids. Let's keep the inspiring discussion going! Discover our events, articles, and more with these links:InspirEd MagazineInspirEd EventsJoin our mailing listYou Tube

Self-directed education offers children so much freedom and opportunity in their education journeys.  However, for parents and other caregivers, it can be a struggle to tow the fine line between giving just enough support and structure versus giving too much. In this episode, the Galileo moms discuss what a day in the life of a self-directed learner looks like, as well as how much structure parents should be supporting their kids with. Let's keep the inspiring discussion going! Discover our events, articles, and more with these links:InspirEd MagazineInspirEd EventsJoin our mailing listYou Tube

Education is becoming more and more accessible thanks to today's incredible tech innovations and movement towards hybrid learning models. However, it's one thing to deliver quality education, but it's another thing to deliver quality education at scale. So how can we ensure that education is scaled without losing its quality? Joseph Connor will be answering this question in our upcoming event. Joseph is the Founder and CEO of Agora, the leading platform for managing education savings accounts. Prior to starting Agora, Joseph founded and ran SchoolHouse, a network of micro-schools.He scaled the network to 50 schools in 10 states serving several hundred students. Joseph started his career as a teacher and school leader at the KIPP and Rocketship Education charter school networks.He has also worked as legal counsel for school organizations and companies including Match Education, AltSchool, the Notre Dame Ace Academies, Prenda, and Primer.Join Joseph Connor and Vlad Stan for a conversation about how we can scale our existing education models without compromising on quality. Let's keep the inspiring discussion going! Discover our events, articles, and more with these links:InspirEd MagazineInspirEd EventsJoin our mailing listYou Tube

How do young people feel about the future of EdTech and alternative education? Are they inspired? Are they optimistic? Or are they downright apathetic?NYU student Alex Yang is here to offer us a fresh perspective and some youthful optimism about the future of the education space.  Alex is an undergraduate junior at NYU Stern. For the past 4 months, he's been working on an EdTech investment thesis in the alternative education space. He became passionate about EdTech after working on an entrepreneurship project after his freshman year and discovering self-directed learning during the pandemic. Alex will be sharing what he's uncovered in his research so far, and discuss the biggest and most relevant challenges and opportunities that the education space is facing in modern times.  Let's keep the inspiring discussion going! Discover our events, articles, and more with these links:InspirEd MagazineInspirEd EventsJoin our mailing listYou Tube

It is a new age in education. Society is seeing that teachers are aware of curriculum needs but also have a unique insight into the needs of individuals. The motivation is no longer to shuffle students through the traditional system but to develop spark and creativity in students. “What can happen in a textbook?” questions Denise Newsome in this episode on educator independence and impact. Denise is an inspiring online instructor who discusses how to make a difference in students' lives through teacher liberation.  Instructors may struggle with a lack of resources which results in their feeling overwhelmed. In “The Elephant in the Teacher's Room”, Denise shares innovative approaches to evolving education that frees the calendar, builds a connection with the kids, and lifts the community in creative ways.  To give students the skills to solve complex problems, teachers need time to serve as both educators and mentors, and they can leave no one behind. This time can be found in virtual freelancing through the many tools that facilitate content creation and help turn the teaching side hustle into a full-time gig. Educators can develop their own pathway toward entrepreneurship. Denise shares how to step away from the fears of saying goodbye to school buildings. She encourages teachers to take the next leap by relying on their community and letting go of ideas about what's “right”. There are many opportunities and teachers have much to contribute. Let's keep the inspiring discussion going! Discover our events, articles, and more with these links:InspirEd MagazineInspirEd EventsJoin our mailing listYou Tube

Self-directed learning is a core component of most forms of alternative education. Did you know that this is based on the self-determination theory?Self-determination theory is a macro theory of human motivation and personality that concerns people's inherent growth tendencies and innate psychological needs. It is concerned with the motivation behind choices people make without external influence and interference.We'll be joined by two Educational Entrepreneurs, Jon Tan, and Jai Flicker, to discuss self-determination theory and how this relates to a student's relationship with learning and their education.  Jon Tan is an Education Entrepreneur, Angel Investor, and Obama Leader at the Obama Foundation. He has founded two impact-driven edtech companies, Saturday Kids and Doyobi, that work to inspire kids to become curious, self-directed learners, to become original thinkers, and to lead a life with a sense of purpose.Jai Flicker has worked in the education space since 1999, where he discovered his love for teaching and working with young people. In 2004, Jai founded his own educational practice, LifeWorks Learning Center, based on the idea that teens need more than just academic support to thrive. Since then, Jai has developed and refined his approach to working with teens, drawing upon the latest research in child development and attachment theory to deepen his impact.Let's keep the inspiring discussion going! Discover our events, articles, and more with these links:InspirEd MagazineInspirEd EventsJoin our mailing listYou Tube

Just as we're coming to terms with the World Wide Web, something new is emerging: Web3.​Web3 is an idea for a completely new iteration of the World Wide Web that we know and currently use. This new structure will be based on blockchains and will be connected to decentralization and token-based economics (like NFTs and Cryptocurrency).Sergii Sokoliuk is an entrepreneur and marketing professional who is passionate about helping people stay on top of the latest market trends, specifically when it comes to tech, bitcoin, crypto, NFTs, and Web3.Sergii has more than a decade of experience across big corporations and startups as well as his own ventures. He is an entrepreneur at heart, where he founded or co-founded four companies, with the first one at the age of 16.In this episode, Sergii will discuss the state and development of Web3 and how this could impact the education space. Let's keep the inspiring discussion going! Discover our events, articles, and more with these links:InspirEd MagazineInspirEd EventsJoin our mailing listYou Tube

Imagine a gender-equal world.A world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. A world that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive. Unfortunately, even in the education space, we still have a long way to go in terms of gender equality. In celebration of International Women's Day, we celebrate Galileo's resident female entrepreneur powerhouse, Kelly Davis. Kelly is the co-founder as well as the Director of Education for Galileo. Her teaching experience began during an off-the-grid experience in a remote village in Fiji in a 3 walled-schoolhouse and it was this adventure that compelled her to continue teaching. During a study abroad experience in Australia that enabled her to travel to Fiji, a series of incredible opportunities to teach in small villages and various countries throughout Asia have fed her desire to make the most of an opportunity to travel and teach.Kelly will be hosted by Heidi Conway, the co-founder of Changemaker Teens Global. The organization works with mothers and alternative learning educators to be the catalyst for positive change by holding the space for young people, on their learning journey.Changemaker Teens offers young people to follow ‘The Changemaker Way' programme, which is an independent or facilitated coaching pathway for young people to discover, create and live their purpose or passionHeidi is a qualified Life Coach, trainer, speaker, best-selling author, and edupreneur.  Heidi has also homeschooled her own children for 7 years. Galileo's co-founder and Director of Education, Kelly Davis, chats to fellow edupreneur Heidi Conway about her experience as an entrepreneur and leader within the education space.Let's keep the inspiring discussion going! Discover our events, articles, and more with these links:InspirEd MagazineInspirEd EventsJoin our mailing listYou Tube

What does it really mean to let children follow their passion? Ronan Robertson is a 15-year-old unschooler, hunter, horse wrangler, trail cutter, and skier. At age 14, Ronan left home to live in the Canadian wilderness to work as a trail cutter and horse wrangler. His current dream is to become a professional hunting and fishing guide.Ronan also loves to travel. He has lived in multiple countries and plans to see more. Next on his list is to ski the mountains of the world.In this episode, Ronan chats with the Director of Entrepreneurship at Galileo, Stacey Piercey, about leaving home at 14 to follow his dreams, what he's learned in the process, and what he hopes to share with other young people considering the same. Let's keep the inspiring discussion going! Discover our events, articles, and more with these links:InspirEd MagazineInspirEd EventsJoin our mailing listYou Tube 

Students require more than just academic support when it comes to learning. For effective learning, students need psychological and emotional support, too. Having strong relationships with a caregiver is crucial for a child's development and how they progress in their education. This is also connected to ideas around attachment theory. Attachment theory is a psychological, evolutionary, and ethological theory that relates to the relationships between humans. The most important idea around attachment theory is that young children need to develop a relationship with at least one primary caregiver for normal social and emotional development.In this episode, Educational Entrepreneurs John Tan and Jai Flicker discuss attachment theory and how this relates to a student's relationship with learning and their education.  John Tan is an Education Entrepreneur, Angel Investor, and Obama Leader at the Obama Foundation. He has founded two impact-driven edtech companies, Saturday Kids and Doyobi, that work to inspire kids to become curious, self-directed learners, to become original thinkers, and to lead a life with a sense of purpose.Jai has worked in the education space since 1999, where he discovered his love for teaching and working with young people. In 2004, Jai founded his own educational practice, LifeWorks Learning Center, based on the idea that teens need more than just academic support to thrive. Since then, Jai has developed and refined his approach to working with teens, drawing upon the latest research in child development and attachment theory to deepen his impact.Let's keep the inspiring discussion going! Discover our events, articles, and more with these links:InspirEd MagazineInspirEd EventsJoin our mailing listYou Tube

Many families dream about traveling the world and allowing their kids to learn as they go. This is also more formally known as Worldschooling.  But how feasible is this and how exactly does it work? In this episode, the Galileo moms discuss the ins and outs of Worldschooling and answer all your burning questions. Let's keep the inspiring discussion going! Discover our events, articles, and more with these links:InspirEd MagazineInspirEd EventsJoin our mailing listYou Tube

Creativity is such a big part of life, however, it's often overlooked in a school environment. Kate Robinson and Dr. Penny Hay are on a mission to change this. Kate Robinson is a writer, speaker, and co-founder of a number of initiatives dedicated to the legacy of her father, Sir Ken Robinson. She works as an international consultant in creativity and innovation in education. Kate's expertise lies in raising the profile of inspiring initiatives, with a particular focus on startups and building strong partnerships with a social purpose. Her passion lies in engaging youth voices, and through this work has been awarded for Outstanding Contribution to Education Empowerment.Dr. Penny Hay is a Research Fellow at the Centre for Cultural and Creative Industries and Reader in Creative Teaching and Learning and Senior Lecturer in Arts Education, School of Education Bath Spa University; Director of Research, House of Imagination.Penny's doctoral research focused on children's learning identity as artists. She is a Co-Investigator on the AHRC Global Challenges Research project ‘Rethinking waste: Compound 13 Lab' in Mumbai. Penny is also a visiting Lecturer at Plymouth College of Art, National Teaching Fellow, and Fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching, with awards from Action for Children's Arts and Creative Bath.Let's keep the inspiring discussion going! Discover our events, articles, and more with these links:InspirEd MagazineInspirEd EventsJoin our mailing listYou Tube

The education landscape is changing. Learning models are moving towards a more hybrid-orientated direction. Online learning is being coupled with smaller, in-person learning groups and the overall structures are becoming more and more flexible. Amar Kumar believes that the future of learning will most definitely be a hybrid model.  Amar Kumar is an education entrepreneur who is passionate about making learning more personal, more social, and more engaging. He is the founder of KaiPod Learning, where small group learning is paired with online schools to deliver a new type of learning experience. In his past experience, Amar was the Chief Product Officer for Pearson's Online K-12 division. He has also been a school teacher and a principal at a high-needs rural school in India.In this episode, Amar discusses the future of hybrid online and in-person learning as well as what he's learned about the hybrid learning space through Kaipod Learning. Let's keep the inspiring discussion going! Discover our events, articles, and more with these links:InspirEd MagazineInspirEd EventsJoin our mailing listYou Tube

Just how much will the economic and technological changes on our horizon impact the education space?In this episode, we're joined by tech entrepreneur Jeff Booth to hear more about this, as well as his own experiences of Worldschooling his own children. Jeff Booth is a visionary leader who has lived at the forefront of technology change for 20 years. He has led BuildDirect, a technology company that aimed to simplify the building industry, for nearly two decades through the dot-com meltdown, the 2008 financial crisis, and many waves of technological disruption. He is a Founding Partner of OtioLabs, Co-Founder of addyinvest.com and NocNoc, and serves on the boards of Terramera, Cubic Farms, LlamaZOO, Synthiam, and the Richmond Hospital Foundation as well as numerous advisory boards. In January 2020, Jeff released his first book titled “The Price of Tomorrow – Why Deflation is Key to an Abundant Future”. In it, Jeff offers his provocative thesis about the current state of our economies and what must happen to enable a brighter future.Let's keep the inspiring discussion going! Discover our events, articles, and more with these links:InspirEd MagazineInspirEd EventsJoin our mailing listYou Tube

Homeschooling is an incredibly freeing and empowering experience for parents and children alike. However, having the time and resources to pursue homeschooling and alternative forms of education often requires a great deal of socio-economic privilege. In this episode, we'll be speaking to Judy Sarden about how to foster more inclusivity and diversity in alternative education spaces, as well as why traditional schooling systems are not necessarily the best environment for black students and students from minority groups.  ​Judy is a wife and mother of 2, who have been homeschooled since the oldest began kindergarten. An avid supporter of home education, Judy encourages all families, and especially African American families, to consider educating their children at home.  ​Judy has been a corporate attorney, business advisor, and entrepreneur for over twenty years.  After feeling the need to home educate her children, Judy left her corporate legal job and began working for herself at home as a contract attorney, business coach, and writer. ​Recognizing that many families need two incomes, Judy works with parents to help them discover how best to use their talents to generate income.  She also coaches parents to establish a successful homeschool. Judy has also published a best-selling book, Sarden's Practical Guide, How to Start Homeschooling.Let's keep the inspiring discussion going! Discover our events, articles, and more with these links:InspirEd MagazineInspirEd EventsJoin our mailing listYou Tube

Unless you're clairvoyant, it's impossible to predict exactly what the future will look like for today's children. We can try to predict which industries will grow and which will shrink, what sort of skills might be in demand and what skills will become redundant.  However, at the end of the day, only time will tell.    What we can do in the meantime is equip them with the necessary skills to confidently take on the unpredicted challenges they will face.  Rhys Cassidy is an education futurist obsessed with learning and human development. He has worked in private and public education settings in Brisbane and the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia, and lead media and arts education teaching associations. Rhys is dedicated to redesigning education from first principles, focusing on design thinking, agile, complexity and real-world learning experiences in non-formal, informal, and formal settings. Let's keep the inspiring discussion going! Discover our events, articles, and more with these links:InspirEd MagazineInspirEd EventsJoin our mailing listYou Tube

So much of education today is focused on theoretical knowledge. In a school environment, learners are so far removed from the reality of what they're actually learning. It's been proven time and time again that learning by doing is one of the most effective and impactful ways to learn, however, this is rarely incorporated in schools. We'll be joined by two experts, Caleb Hicks and Tara Baumgarten, to discuss how we can make learning more meaningful for students.    Tara Baumgarten is focused on the future of work and how millennials learn. She's passionate about open education, the future of edtech, and how we can create a more equitable workforce. Tara also holds a Master's in Educational Leadership & Technology and has worked as an Instructional Designer, Learning Designer, and Product Manager for a number of years. Caleb Hicks is passionate about building the onramp to life after school for driven teenagers. He's spent the last ten years in career and technical education, helping teenagers prepare for the world of work, and preparing career switchers for new jobs in tech. He's worked for Apple, co-founded Lamda School, and has recently founded his own initiative, Factor. In this episode, Tara and Caleb discuss the science behind the concept of ‘learning by doing' and why this is crucial for impactful education. Let's keep the inspiring discussion going! Discover our events, articles, and more with these links:InspirEd MagazineInspirEd EventsJoin our mailing listYou Tube

Self-Directed Education and Unschooling are not the norms in today's world. Additionally, it's not always the easiest option for educating our children. Although a homeschooling environment provides us with what traditional education systems often lack, alternative education is not without its own challenges. Let's admit the envy we feel when our friends' children leave the house in the morning and return 7 hours later. When we make this choice, we take on a terrific responsibility.  Why do we do this? How do we get comfortable breaking the expectations of society and forging our own paths? How will our children be different or better off than traditionally educated students?  In this episode,  Julie, Elizabeth, Nadine, and Mickelle facilitate a group Q&A session and share their own experiences. Let's keep the inspiring discussion going! Discover our events, articles, and more with these links:InspirEd MagazineInspirEd EventsJoin our mailing listYou Tube

So where can you begin if you want to learn more?   Agustin Cortes is a self-taught entrepreneur who has created a platform, Lirners, that teaches and connects those who are interested in learning about everything related to Web3.  Lirners is a digital school that focuses on the 7 main components of Web3: NFTs, DeFi, Social Connections, Cryptoeconomics, DAOs, Blockchain Development, and a General Study. They believe that when it comes to Web3, everyone has value to contribute. Their goal is to create a professional network for learning and collaboration.  In this episode, Agustin discusses how to approach education on Web3, as well as the importance of collaboration and how one can validate self-taught learning without a degree. Let's keep the inspiring discussion going! Discover our events, articles, and more with these links:InspirEd MagazineInspirEd EventsJoin our mailing listYou Tube

When children have been exposed to trauma in the early developmental years of their life, it can be a long and complex journey of healing. So where does education fit into this?More importantly, how can we help vulnerable kids to overcome the challenges of the past and engage with the education they receive?In this event, we'll be joined by Gareth K Thomas and Nadine Ziegeldorf to speak about their experiences of raising foster and adopted children and what Alternative Education has offered them. Gareth is the founder of a creative strategic consultancy called Clarifiedco, but he comes to InspirEd to talk about something very different. Gareth will be sharing his experience raising 3 adopted children and how Alternative Education has changed his perception of what they need. Gareth will be joined by inspirEd team member and Galileo mom, Nadine, who is also raising 2 adopted daughters. In this episode, we discuss the emotional and educational needs of vulnerable children when they find a new safe space to learn and grow, as well as what Alternative Education offers in this regard.Let's keep the inspiring discussion going! Discover our events, articles, and more with these links:InspirEd MagazineInspirEd EventsJoin our mailing listYou Tube

If you've been to any corner of the internet recently, you would have heard about something called an NFT. And if you haven't heard about NFTs yet, you're about to find out! NFT stands for ‘non-fungible token' and are cryptographic assets that exist on a blockchain. Each NFT consists of unique identification codes and metadata that distinguish them from each other. As a result, NFTs can be used as a medium for commercial transactions. NFTs can be anything that takes a digital form, like an image or video. For artists, this is a novel way to sell any kinds of digital art that there otherwise might not be much of a market for. For example, NFTs have a feature that ensures you are paid a percentage every time the NFT is sold or changes hands, making sure that if your work gets popular, you'll be credited. If this still isn't making sense to you, we have a team of experts who are ready to share their expertise. Meet Michael, Shauna, and Vriti. Michael Cohen, otherwise known as The Tech Rabbi,  is an author, design thinking guru, teen startup mentor, an Apple Distinguished Educator, Google Certified Trainer, Adobe Certified Trainer, and has been ranked as one of today's top 50 EdTech influencers.He is the founder of Dubbleup, a short-term cohort-based incubation program that helps teens between the ages of 15 and 19 launch the next great disruption. Michael's book "Educated by Design: Designing the Space to Experiment, Explore, and Extract Your Creative Potential" geared to educators, shows us that creativity is a mindset that anyone can develop.Shauna is passionate about personalized learning, educational choice and freedom, educational technology, lifelong learning, and helping others, especially those who are marginalized, find success on their educational journeys.She has served and supported teachers and families as an administrator at a personalized learning public charter school and has also been a high school English teacher. Vriti is the CEO & Founder of k20 Educators. k20 Educators aims to be the largest networking, learning, and career hub for educators, with the most comprehensive directory of professional learning. They are on a mission of enabling knowledge sharing to dismantle global silos in education. Michael, Shauna, and Vriti will be discussing everything you need to know about NFTd, why they are important for the future, and how artists can be making use of them. Let's keep the inspiring discussion going! Discover our events, articles, and more with these links:InspirEd MagazineInspirEd EventsJoin our mailing listYou Tube

When it comes to making the switch from traditional school to homeschooling and alternative education, it always seems to be a decision that is initiated by the mom.  More often than not, the dads are more hesitant about making the change and getting involved.  But why is this? In this episode, we'll hear from the Galileo Dads, Ken Weary, Gerry Kirk, Nathan Day, Daniel Prince, and Vlad Stan. They'll dive into their first-hand experiences as dads of self-directed learners and what they think about the mom vs dad debate. Let's keep the inspiring discussion going! Discover our events, articles, and more with these links:InspirEd MagazineInspirEd EventsJoin our mailing listYou Tube

As a society, we've come to believe that learning can only happen within a traditional school environment. Sending your child to a public or private school for 12 years has become the status quo.  But what if, as individuals and collectives, we were to take education into our own hands? This is a concept known as a democratic school. A democratic school is a school where the students are trusted to take responsibility for their own lives and learning, and for the school community. Students have the ability to dictate their own learning journey and structure their education to suit their own personal preferences. Jerry Mintz has been a leading voice in the alternative school movement for over 30 years. In addition to his seventeen years as a public and independent alternative school principal and teacher, he has also helped found more than one hundred public and private alternative schools and organizations. He has lectured and consulted in more than twenty-five countries around the world.Let's keep the inspiring discussion going! Discover our events, articles, and more with these links:InspirEd MagazineInspirEd EventsJoin our mailing listYou Tube

The past two years have seen many families become accidental homeschoolers, with traditional schools having to move to online mediums. This has been a rare opportunity for parents to experience what a different sort of education would look like and how this could work for their family. However, for the families that have become ‘accidental homeschoolers', there's still a lot to learn and many hurdles to overcome. Homeschooling veteran, Jamie Heston, hopes to help families in this transition process and share her wisdom on the common misconceptions that newer homeschooling families may have.Jamie Heston is an experienced homeschooler, with over 14 years of experience homeschooling her own children as well as facilitating and being part of a number of homeschooling associations. Jamie is a homeschool community leader and consultant, a current volunteer, and a former Board Member-Secretary/Treasurer for the Homeschool Association of California (HSC). She has been a part of the legislative, newsletter, and conference teams for HSC. Jamie also moderates a local homeschool support group, Bay Area Gifted Homeschoolers, and is the founder of the Google support group Bay Area Homeschool Activity Scene (BAHAS). She is passionate about helping parents discover how to homeschool and is a proponent of self-directed learning. In this episode, Jamie addresses some common objections that newer homeschooling families face as well as some common misconceptions both newer and more experienced families might need to think about. Let's keep the inspiring discussion going! Discover our events, articles, and more with these links: InspirEd MagazineInspirEd EventsJoin our mailing listYou Tube

The idea of Girl Scouts seems like something out of an 80's children's novel. So what do Girl Scouts look like in the 21st century? Today's Girl Scouts are different from your mom's or grandma's Girl Scouts. Nowadays, there is an emphasis on entrepreneurship and STEAM, in addition to the more traditional life skills and outdoors.How do Girl Scouts continue to inspire our next generation of female leaders? What can it offer your daughter? How does it fit into your families' home or Worldschooling lifestyle?In this episode, Elizabeth Streett, Director of Coaching and Facilitation at Galileo and co-leader of a worldwide Girl Scout troop, will be joined by her co-leaders Amy Kennedy and Vicki Adams.Let's keep the inspiring discussion going! Discover our events, articles, and more with these links:InspirEd MagazineInspirEd EventsJoin our mailing listYou Tube

Having a marketable skill is often what gets people to consider entrepreneurship. The key factor is to develop a mindset where you see opportunities to use those skills. Graham Kirk has a newly formed audio editing company specifically for podcasters. But he went about it a different route - he was presented with an opportunity and worked on developing the skills necessary to capitalize on that opportunity. Whichever way you approach it, this teen took an opportunity and made it into a business. Let's keep the inspiring discussion going! Discover our events, articles, and more with these links:InspirEd MagazineInspirEd EventsJoin our mailing listYou Tube

 Sir Ken Robinson was a trailblazing voice in education and educational reform, and his legacy of activism will live on for years to come.  In our latest podcast episode, we hear from the late Sir Ken from the Homeschooling Global Summit in 2019 about his incredible work, specifically: The importance of having great mentors, heroes, and teachers; His report: All Our Futures: Creativity, Culture and Education (The Robinson Report) - a report commissioned by  the UK government to cultivate a culture of creativity in schools; Meeting Queen Elizabeth and being knighted for his work in reforming education Why arts matter and how art and science are connected; Distinction and connection of imagination, creativity, and innovation;  How alternative education (such as homeschooling, unschooling, worldschooling, and self-directed learning) paves the way to re-think schools and focus on the natural conditions and impulse to learn; The future of education and how can we make the change. Let's keep the inspiring discussion going! Discover our events, articles, and more with these links:InspirEd MagazineInspirEd EventsJoin our mailing listYou Tube

Learning is an important life skill that helps us to grow and evolve as people, as well as to stay in touch with the ever-changing world around us. In this episode, we'll hear from education entrepreneur, Christopher Pommerening, in a conversation about the importance of fostering a lifelong love of learning and how this can be achieved alongside our existing education structures. Christopher Pommerening is the Founder of Learnlife. Learnlife is an open ecosystem that facilitates lifelong learning alongside new and traditional education systems. In collaboration with education thought leaders, Learnlife is developing new learning elements, learning spaces, and learning technologies that are responsive to the inspirations, needs, and challenges of today's children and future generations to come.Learnlife's impact goal is to empower 100 million Learners, 5 million Learning Guides and 100,000 Learnhub Teams to experience the new paradigm for learning that is suited to the rapid and evolving changes in our world and societies by 2030.Christopher is an entrepreneur and learning visionary on a journey in which he has evolved from an internet entrepreneur and venture capitalist, into a high-impact entrepreneur on a mission to change education positively worldwide. He has founded 10 companies and organizations and invested in more than 30 start-ups.Let's keep the inspiring discussion going! Discover our events, articles, and more with these links:InspirEd MagazineInspirEd EventsJoin our mailing listYou Tube

There's no one, perfect way to be an unschooling parent. No matter how long you've been doing it, there will always be unexpected challenges and unprecedented ups and downs. ​No matter what age, every child has their own unique way of thinking, learning, and seeing the world. So how can we better connect with and support them without inserting our own opinions, ideas, and expectations on them? ​As an unschooling parent, it's important to continuously evolve and reevaluate your own ways of thinking and frames of reference in order to keep up!  ​Luckily, we have an expert on hand to share her wisdom. ​Pam Laricchia is a long-time unschooling mom from Canada who loves exploring unschooling and sharing the fascinating things she's discovered about learning and parenting along the way. She hosts the weekly Exploring Unschooling podcast and recently created The Living Joyfully Network online community, bringing together unschooling parents to support and learn from each other to question and explore many of the conventional beliefs around learning and parenting.​Pam's writing has been published in various magazines including Toronto Life, Natural Parent Magazine, Life Learning Magazine, and the Journal of Unschooling and Alternative Learning. She's also written five books about unschooling. In this episode, Pam will share why all parents have blindspots and how parents can reevaluate their own learning processes and reinvigorate a joyful and fruitful relationship with learning and unschooling.Let's keep the inspiring discussion going! Discover our events, articles, and more with these links:InspirEd MagazineInspirEd EventsJoin our mailing listYou Tube

At 13 Dylan Soh started his first business with his invention the 'GIY Stick' which reuses plastic bottles and upcycled fabric to make any pot self-watering. This was Soh's first crowdfunding campaign and he raised $25,000 on Kickstarter. Now, at 17, Dylan has launched another invention into a startup business called the One Kind Block, "The world's first LEGO-like hydroponic unit designed to make cities fertile by adapting to your windows, balconies, corridors, and walls." The time of this recording, his current Kickstarter campaign (this is the second round) has raised over $40,000 USD. If you'd like to be an OKB backer you can go here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/onekindblock/one-kind-block-new-relaunchedGalileo was fortunate to have Dylan teach our students about crowdfunding in 2020 and share his knowledge with our budding young entrepreneurs.In this episode, we discuss the origins of his inventor's mindset and how he got started. Dylan shares the challenges of using crowdfunding with the increase in products on platforms like Kickstarter. He explains how he used local resources to prototype and produce OKB. Dylan has some great advice for young entrepreneurs as well.Let's keep the inspiring discussion going! Discover our events, articles, and more with these links:InspirEd MagazineInspirEd EventsJoin our mailing listYou Tube

The internet seems to be filled with talk of NFTs and Web3 - so what the heck are they and how can one get involved?An NFT is a ‘non-fungible token'. They are cryptographic assets that exist on a blockchain. Each NFT consists of unique identification codes and metadata that distinguish them from each other. NFTs can be used as a medium for commercial transactions. Web3 is an idea for a completely new iteration of the World Wide Web that we know and currently use. This new structure will be based on blockchains and will be connected to decentralization and token-based economics (like NFTs and Cryptocurrency).In this episode, we'll be chatting to Yohei Nakajima about what we should make of NFTs and Web3, as well as how we can start educating children about this exciting new direction that will be shaping our future. Yohei Nakajima has worked exclusively with startups his entire career, specializing in helping startups to build relationships. Today he runs Untapped Capital, a pre-seed Venture Capital firm investing in unexpected founders, not well connected to VCs, primarily sourced through outbound. He started building this skill set at Techstars, where he helped spin-up the Disney Accelerator before his role as the Director of Pipeline, where he supported all 30+ Techstars accelerator programs in recruiting startups. In addition to running Untapped Capital, he runs PixelBeasts, a kid-friendly IP and 10k NFT collection for VCs and founders exploring web3 together.Let's keep the inspiring discussion going! Discover our events, articles, and more with these links:InspirEd MagazineInspirEd EventsJoin our mailing listYou Tube

Children's business fairs are often the spark that gets kids thinking about what's possible. Lovebites and smoothies hit their first high when they participated in kids' biz fair Africa (Dec 2019), the first kids' biz fair in Nigeria.Interested in creating a food-based business, these sibling young entrepreneurs started Lovebites and Smoothies, offering great tasting healthy food without necessarily seeing or tasting the greens. Having watched their parents grill chicken on a regular basis, these two agreed on adding barbecue to the drinks to have a complete meal. With the CEO's love for sandwiches, it was only a matter of days that sandwiches became a part of Lovebites and Smoothies offerings. Amazed at their own success, Elijah and Jemimah not only sold out during their first sale making ₦68,000 NGN (~ $175.00 USD) but also won an award for the Best Sales Pitch at the fair.The key insight was finding their markets and planning ahead. Business only got better from there."Elijah Adediran, Co-founder/CEO, is a Grade 7 student with a strong passion for writing, grilling, business strategy creation, and a natural comedian. He largely handles the grills and shares the production of the smoothies with the COO. Jemimah Adediran, Co-founder/COO, is in Grade 3 and a resourceful, self-motivated individual with excellent presentation skills. She handles the sandwiches and shares the preparation of the smoothies with her brother." - from the Love Bites and Smoothies marketingWith a gifted blender and some new markets to test, Lovebites and Smoothies is set to finish their first year in business with a whirl of success!Let's keep the inspiring discussion going! Discover our events, articles, and more with these links:InspirEd MagazineInspirEd EventsJoin our mailing listYou Tube

Matthew Milan has spent the last 20 years solving tough software innovation challenges for a wide range of organizations. The team at Normative, a company he co-founded in Toronto Canada, has launched major products in financial services, location technology, healthcare, and digital video. He focuses on integrating evidence-driven innovation techniques with a customer development mindset.In this episode, we discovered a common children experience - failing up - where the school system deems you are not their star pupil, and as a result, you drift through mediocre grades and a complete lack of interest in anything you are learning.It was when he watched his own daughter go through the same painful experience of being told what she was allowed to learn, the whole family went on a path of discovery down the homeschool, and eventually the unschool rabbit hole.Now living with his wife and three children in British Columbia Canada to bring his eldest daughter closer to her passion for Freeskiiig (a specific type of alpine skiing, which involves tricks, jumps, and terrain park features), Matthew explains why the world needs independent critical thinkers and how that impacts innovation.Let's keep the inspiring discussion going! Discover our events, articles, and more with these links:InspirEd MagazineInspirEd EventsJoin our mailing listYou Tube

For many parents considering some kind of unschooling approach outside of a traditional school, there is always one common, overarching concern. The concern in question? Accreditation and transcripts. Many parents want to ensure that their children have the option to attend a college, university, or another kind of tertiary institution when they're older. Additionally, parents also worry if their unschooling children will have the same opportunities for higher education as traditionally schooled students.However, for many of these options, students are required to present transcripts and have a record of some sort of institutionally ‘accredited' education.   In this inspirEd conversation, the Galileo moms speak to Peggy Webb from West River Academy. Galileo has been working with West River Academy for a number of years to help our students with transcripts for their education.  As Director of West River Academy since 1993, Peggy has watched the growth of homeschooling, including unschooling, not only in the US but throughout the world. We will also be joined by 19-year-old West River Academy graduate, Damian Tegheni. Damien graduated from West River Academy in 2021 and has been with the academy since 2013.Damian is working in Human Resources for a British company. He just got back from a trip to Rome. He is a photographer, musician (plays the flute), an artist (drawing), who loves to read, write poetry, travel, and study animals, plants, and history.Let's keep the inspiring discussion going! Discover our events, articles, and more with these links:InspirEd MagazineInspirEd EventsJoin our mailing listYou Tube

Julie Atri was dissatisfied with what the traditional education system could offer her daughter. Julie wanted her daughter to be her own individual and wanted to provide a supportive environment for her to become herself.As such, Julie removed her daughter from school and allowed her to start self-directed learning at Galileo immediately. At first, it was a struggle for her daughter to come to terms with directing her own education and she was unable to make her own choices for her learning.  But quickly, Julie's daughter was able to understand that she could have the freedom to learn what she wanted to through her own interest-led learning. Julie encourages parents to have self-reflection and think about what they want their children to become. She stands by the belief that ‘kids don't come with a manual, so read a lot of books and the more you learn and let it happen, you will know ‘what should I do?'. Julie has been a Galileo parent for over a year now and has never looked back since making the change. In this episode, Julie shares her experiences with transitioning to self-directed learning, how to support your child through it as well as how to empower them to thrive as a human being.  Let's keep the inspiring discussion going! Discover our events, articles, and more with these links:InspirEd MagazineInspirEd EventsJoin our mailing listYou Tube

When Isabel started in the How to Start Your Own Business program she was on fire! Her greatest challenge was narrowing down the ideas to one she could prototype in a week and complete in time for the business fair.I don't even remember what she brought to prototype but it wasn't what she proposed the first week. By the end of that second class, she had another idea brewing. In an effort to curb Isabel's mercurial idea generation we worked on defining some rules to help her refine the decision-making process. First, she was only allowed to use what she had on hand for the full product offering. If she only had enough to make three that wasn't a good option. Second, she had to calculate her return on investment by how long it took her to create a single item of the product. If it takes too long then she won't be able to get that back in the price her customers would be willing to pay.Isabel arrived at the business fair with birdseed feeders (for several different types of birds) and scented eye pillows (with several options and variations). Because she simply couldn't let go of any single option and they fit the rules!The business was appropriately named “Isabel's Everythings”.Isabel went on to create more products and now rents her own tables at other market fairs. At the time of this interview, she had moved on to dog and cat treats.Here's a breakdown of her business profits so far:Expenses (Cost of Goods Sold): $75.00Revenue: $289.00Profit: $214.00Her latest venture "Kitty Buddy Business" is a cat sitting and care business. How does she advertise? While she sells her dog and cat treats at markets of course. Isabel has developed a keen understanding of customer behavior and applies her selling experience to every new opportunity.Let's keep the inspiring discussion going! Discover our events, articles, and more with these links:InspirEd MagazineInspirEd EventsJoin our mailing listYou Tube

How much autonomy do parents and children really have over their own education within a government school system? This lack of separation between school and state calls into question what rights children actually have when it comes to their education, and ultimately their future. Bradley Thompson and Aquinas Heard will be tackling this relevant, intriguing, and complex issue in our next event. Bradley Thompson is a Professor of Political Philosophy at Clemson University, the Executive Director of the Clemson Institute for the Study of Capitalism, and the founder of the Lyceum Scholars Program. He is the author most recently of America's Revolutionary Mind: A Moral History of the American Revolution and the Declaration that Defined It. He also writes and blogs at his Substack, The Redneck Intellectual. He is also the founder and lead blogger at EdWatchDaily.com, which is America's leader in the #JustWalkAway movement.Aquinas Heard is a gymnastics coach, Outschool instructor, and former private elementary school owner. He is a longtime advocate of unschooling as well as the separation of school and state and founded the Aquinas Academy of Reason. In this episode, Bradley and Aquinas will discuss the separations of school and state, what a free market in education might look like as well as what rights children really have when it comes to their own education. Let's keep the inspiring discussion going! Discover our events, articles, and more with these links: InspirEd MagazineInspirEd EventsJoin our mailing listYou Tube